


Starry Night

by Hino_Hime



Series: New Dawn [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Established Relationship, F/M, Friendship, Halloween, Halloween AU, Love, Monster and Mana, Mystery, Prophecy, Romance, Vampires, Werewolf, ghost - Freeform, monster au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-13 20:48:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16479497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hino_Hime/pseuds/Hino_Hime
Summary: As light and shadow, humans and monsters co-exist without ever daring to touch the invisible wall that separates them. But this fragile construction is threatened to fall apart when a human appears at the annual Samhain-Ball and turns everything upside down.Could she really be the end of the world of monsters?





	Starry Night

As the harvest-period drew to a close, the gates of the castle of lions opened to welcome its guests and to celebrate and welcome the darker half of the year. To the night where light and dark merge into gray and the undead would rule.   
The Samhain ball attracted the leaders of all fractions no matter how scattered they were, to listen to Pandora's box and the prophecy it would share. This prophecy would then become the stepping stone for the year to come. It had been like that since the ending of the big war, maybe even before that. No one knew for sure for the war posed the biggest caesura in all of history. Nothing was at it had been, nothing would become as it should. But still, some knowledge remained: Legend has it that the year the prophecy would not be heard would be the end of the equilibrium.   
The end of the veil between the realms.

  
  
  


The doors to the ballroom opened over and over again as more and more guest started to fill the gigantic room. The decorations and buffet reflected the mesmerizing variety of the fraction's leaders and their entourage. No one would dare to miss the most important event of the year or it might cause a diplomatic ruckus no one wished to endure. The relationships between the fractions were tight, as they’d always been - mostly due to the territory assigned to each and every group - but tonight posed a completely different picture. The tension was thick in the big ballroom, everyone seemed to be able to feel it, despite the light-hearted music and the senseless chatter in between diplomatic meetings. Anticipation was rising with each new guest arriving.  
The leader of the coven, Witch Allura, stood on her balcony, looking over her growing crowd, a certain degree of disapprovement on her face. Next to her was her companion and head of the council, Sorcerer Coran, pinching his moustache, deep in thought.

“I am not sure if my approval of his guest was a wise decision...” the witch sighed, her eyes travelling across her guests until they rested on a small group of young adults. “I somewhat fear for their future.”

“As much as I understand your sentiment, the only thing we can do now is to wait and watch how this might play out”, the older one replied calmly as he followed her gaze. “After all, it’s been like this for decades. Maybe the time has finally come for some things to change.”   
  
“That is indeed true, Coran. I am just uncertain how many of our guests would agree with that. The worst outcome would be another war.”   
  
“You are one of the wisest witches I’ve ever met and yet you sometimes talk utter nonsense”, the sorcerer chuckled. “Whatever happens and however personal some of our guests might think about it, there is not enough reason whatsoever to start another war.”

A tiny smile appeared on Allura’s lips, “You’re right… I hope you are.”

The two elder fell silent as they watched the group of youngsters who were most likely here because their parents dragged them along. While none of them particularly enjoyed the strict side of the ball, they always found ways to enjoy themselves. It was heartwarming and refreshing amidst the stiff protocol. 

The group had gathered in the right corner, each a plate with different varieties of goo-ish looking food in their hand while the biggest of them told a joke, making everyone else laugh, “Well and then he said Ain't no buggin' with me! You get it? Bug-ging?!”

“I never thought giants had such a sense of humour, Hunk!” a voice replied next to him before a shape started to form only to disintegrate almost right away.

“Yeah... We may not look that part, I know. The big, chunky guys, never talking much… Speaking of look, Pidge, could you please manifest some kind of body? It freaks me out not to know where your eyes are...”

This resulted in the translucent shape to reappear in dulled colours, floating a bit above the ground, “Better?”

“Actually... your hollow eyes kinda creep me out… I just can’t get used to them”, the boy with long brown ears said, his voice shaking a little. “No offense...”

The ghost giggled, which actually sounded a bit more like coughing, “None taken. Nothing to worry, Lance. I know I look a bit... haunting.”

“Could you not?!” a voice sighed, coming from the last one to arrive, a boy with dark ears, a great deal smaller than Lance's, and a black tail swinging back and forth.

The werewolf rolled his eyes, “Oh look, it's fun-cracker Keith...”

“It was just not that funny?”

“Like hell it was!”

“Could you at least try not to fight all the time?” Hunk asked, his eyes begging them to make peace - they were only really able to spend time together like this once a year.   
  
Of course, there were no restrictions to visit one another, but their families were scattered around the whole realm, making it difficult to manage a simple get-together.  The two boys looked at each other, sparks flying, before they simultaneously looked away, a loud tsk leaving their lips causing Hunk and Pidge to sigh silently.   
But at least they would try to behave.

“It's the same... Every year it's exactly the same”, the latter said as she took a sip of her slushy, the liquid vanishing into thin air. “The two of them kick it off with some fighting and then we dance and eat too much before Witch Allura gives her speech and we listen to the most cryptic riddle out of a box – which never actually means something – and then it is back to more dancing and eating until sunrise. I just wish diplomacy wasn't that boring.”

“At least we don't have to sit through all those meetings...” Lance mumbled, trying to steal some food from the giant. “And we get to hang out, which I find pretty neat.”

“This year is different though”, Keith replied, his ears twitching. “Haven't you heard of our special guest?”

The group went silent for a moment, each one following their train of thoughts before Pidge spoke again, “I still can't belief that the coven and the council would allow this...”

“And I don't get why he is putting all of us in danger...” Lance mumbled.

Keith looked as if he wanted to say something, but before any of them could elaborate the issue any further, the whole room went quiet as the announcer spoke the name of the next – and final – guest to arrive tonight.   
As by tradition, he was always the last to arrive and the first to leave, demonstrating the power his house still held after all these centuries. The moment the doors swung open a ripple of whispers went through the crowd.

“Ladies and Gentlemen!” the announcer bellowed. “The head of the House of Vlad and his entourage, Mr. Takashi Shirogane!”

At the call of his name a big man entered the ballroom, a beautiful woman right next to him and the whispers died at once. It was as if time had stopped, no one moved, even the musicians had stopped playing. The silence was eerie, only broken by the light footsteps of the pair as they made their way across the room to greet the hosts.   
Just as they stood right below the balcony someone in the crowd shouted, “A human! The lunatic has brought a human with him!”

  
  
  


The world as we know it only consists half the truth. Humans – as much as they wished to believe it – are not the only ones to tinker with history. Monsters and demons shared their living space. Waking and sleeping among them, flipping the switches of destiny just as much.  
Both are two sides of the same coin and yet they refuse to accept each other. The veil of mutual ignorance blinding them, silencing them.

Only history knew why.

Every encounter ended in a massacre. In bloodshed and tears, in broken treaties and war. Just as with modern-day conflicts, every action caused a reaction, caused another action and so on. That was, until a small group of monsters approached a group of humans, asking for a solution.

A simple one, really.  
Both worlds were to be separated for good. Neither side should be allowed to meddle with the other, to interfere with the course of a history they no longer shared.  
It was the last straw.

Since then the monsters have lived isolated, never merging with humans again and the history became another story. And as time went on, those stories became legends, only ever believed by a few.   
The division was threefold by then.   
Monsters were to be seperated from humans.   
Humans to be segregated from other humans.   
The treaty, that should bring eternal peace was just a mere stepping-stone for another conflict.

  
  
  


“And you... did not eat her?” Lance asked curiously as he playfully poked the human's cheek.

The vampire sighed, “As you can see, no. I did not. And I do not intend to.”

“Isn't that rather unnatural?” Pidge added, equally intrigued by the girl who was trying not to flinch when she felt Pidge pass through her arm. “And why is this one here not attacking?”

At this the eyes of the human grew big before she averted her gaze, making herself even smaller, “I am sorry...”

This caused the whole group to freeze up and look at each other in confusion. From what they have heard, the stories passed down from one generation to the next, humans did not apologize. They would attack immediately at the sight of a monster and never show mercy.

But this girl here had none of these traits, quite the contrary. She listened and acted as if she was not there. Moreover, she seemed to be aware of the customs and eager to learn. Her eyes travelled across the room, absorbing every last detail before she would walk over to Shiro and silently ask him something - always appearing as if she was beneath him.

“Not all humans are murderers”, the vampire whispered as he walked over and wrapped his arms around her. “Just as not all monsters are saints.”

“This might be true but how would you know, Shiro?” Hunk looked him over.

It was clear that the group tried their hardest to not let the prejudices get the better of them, but it was harder than they would ever dare to admit. While all of them had some settlements under their protection, an agreement with those humans who still believed in monsters, no one was really able to shake this lingering feeling that humans may be dangerous. From everything that had happened since the end of the war, humans seemed to enjoy armed conflict. It really was hard to not be cautious.

Since Shiro seemed to still be deep in thought, Keith answered instead, “Contrary to most humans, she doesn't smell evil.”

The girl lifted her gaze to meet the blazing eyes of the werecat who, in turn, moved his tail as if he was anticipating something. Her lips curled up in the tiniest of smiles as she mouthed a silent _thank you._

“Has Keith always been this weird?” Lance whispered, helplessly looking at his friends. “Or had he completely lost it?”

“Werecats are said to have the finest noses in the monster-world. I would trust it anytime!” a deep voice said, making the whole group turn.

Just a few steps away stood a tall slender man with purple skin, a glass of wine in his hand, a snarl on his lips as his eyes looked at the human with unhidden disgust. A whimper escaped the girl as Shiro stepped in front of her, a strained look on his face as he reached out his hand.

“Mr. Zarkon. What a pleasure and an honour to meet the representative of the Clan of Shapeshifters in person!” his voice sounded as fake as his smile but Zarkon did not seem notice.

“The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Shirogane. I would have never thought I would ever have the chance to talk to you, given all your fame and power”, the shapeshifter raised an eyebrow as he nodded towards the girl. “And I suppose you brought your own snack? I would do the same, the food here is… well...”

Almost immediately Shiro's eyes grew darker as he revealed his fangs, ready to attack. If it weren't for the human, tugging at his arm to make him turn and look at her, he could've caused another diplomatic disaster.

“Just play along. I'm fine. We’ve been through this”, she whispered, an encouraging look in her eyes.

“But... [Y/N], that's not right”, the vampire replied before he turned back to look at the smug look on Zarkon's face. “I apologize. I haven't eaten tonight and hearing you mention a snack...”

Shiro tried his best to cover his slip-up with a light tone and a laugh, which worked with Zarkon, but behind his back his friends exchanged questioning looks. Something was wrong here, yet no one could exactly point at what it might be.

The shapeshifter laughed deeply, “I understand your sentiments perfectly well. Just looking at her makes my own mouth water! And such a flowery scent!”

Before Shiro could come up with another witty answer, Zarkon's attention was called from across the room, causing him to excuse himself. But before he left he threw the girl a knowing glance, sending shivers down her spine, before he finally turned and walked away.

“I never liked the Clan… They all seem so sly...” Pidge whispered as she disappeared and reappeared next to the human. “Shiro, would you finally answer the question of why she is here? Zarkon's reaction threw you off... more than I've ever seen you.”

The vampire let out a deep sigh, his eyes meeting hers, a warm expression on her face,

“A few months ago, during a full moon, I was patrolling through my territory, close to one of the smaller towns my family vowed to protect from the underlings of Hades. Close to the gates I was caught in a net, not too far from an abandoned church. The net was woven from threads of silver, causing me a good amount of pain, making it impossible for me to escape. I was not surprised by the fact that those nets still existed, but about the precision of its position. Someone knew I was coming.”

“But I thought it was forbidden to capture monsters of any kind if they are not out there and hurting humans”, Lance interjected.

For the first time, the girl spoke up, her voice low, “That is indeed true. The villagers were thankful for the vampire's service, which made the whole affair even more bizarre. The man who had set up the trap called himself Dr. Wolf a professional vampire-hunter. He was not a local. I've met him at the market place where he asked around about a specific vampire. According to him, there was one wild vampire on the run, murdering humans and cattle alike. Since his whole appearance and behaviour seemed odd to me, I followed him that night. This must've been the most dangerous and stupid thing I've ever done, but I could not ignore it. What if the treaty was broken, another war just around the corner?”

“So you knew that he was out there, hunting monsters?!” Hunk was hardly able to believe his ears. “Weren't you afraid?”

This made her laugh, “Of course I was afraid! I was shaking all over! But the vampires kept me and my family safe. There was no word about a rampaging vampire around, therefore something must’ve been up. The least I could do was to prevent a tragedy.”

“And she did. As I struggled against the silver-threads burning my skin, [Y/N] appeared and cut me down. No questions asked. Still, before we could make it out there, Dr. Wolf appeared and shot me in the right arm with a silver-bullet... She was able to hit him with a knife which distracted him just long enough so we were able to escape at least but when we then finally arrived at my mansion my arm was already wilting away so... We got rid of it”, Shiro's voice had gotten calmer and calmer until it was hard to make out any sounds at all. “We did not meet again until one night a couple of days later, she knocked on my door, telling me through tears that her family had been murdered...”

The whole group inhaled sharply, everyone already anticipating what would come next.

“We both knew that it was Dr. Wolf's doing, but we had no evidence to accuse him publicly”, her voice was serene but the pain in her eyes betrayed her. “Shiro offered me to stay with him and I did.”

“Wait a second. Are you telling me that you willingly moved in with a monster? And the most powerful there is?!” Lance's expression was the one of utter helplessness.

“As I said, vampires were nothing I was particularly afraid of. But yes, I was aware that he could use me as a snack anytime. Still...” a shy gaze towards Shiro, “I somehow knew that he would not hurt me. If he had wanted to, he could've done so the night I cut him out of the net. Furthermore, where could I have gone instead? There was someone out there who would kill me instantly...”

Pidge shifted in and out of focus as she asked, “That side I understand. But Shiro, how are you able not to eat her?! Even to me she smells delicious...”

While the others - apart from Keith - all agreed, the vampire just lifted his left arm, rolled up the sleeve of his shirt and exposed a scar in the shape of a star, “There is a ritual which was performed by the vampires of old, back in the day when monsters still openly mingled with humans. If you mix just a few drops of human blood into the vampire's system, the temptation to feast on this one human recedes while the smell that makes them so unique stays.”

Seconds went by as the whole group stared at the perfectly shaped star, each of them remotely aware of what this meant and what it might’ve been used for.

“So you fell in love with a human..?” there was admiration on Lance's voice. “Who would've thought that the mightiest monster of them all could be put under a spell by a human...”

  
  
  


Once the story was out, the whole group quickly warmed to the girl, taking her in as if she'd always been there. In turn, she showed great interest and knowledge about each and every type of monster, asking the right questions. Especially Pidge loved that aspect and the two of them quickly bonded over different theories of light-absorbing and reflecting materials, which then turned into a lesson on ghost-biology.   
The others had to somewhat force the two apart, especially Lance who wanted to drag her to the dancefloor.   
  
“I assure you, you will not have a great time…” she mumbled, her cheeks in a light pink.

“Then let me teach you!” he smiled and off they were.   
  
“I’ve never seen him so composed around women…” Pidge mumbled, a few pieces of finger-food disappearing into nothing.   
  
“Maybe that’s because not only does he know that she’s off limits, he also seems to be able to smell it… There is vampire blood on her”, Hunk replied.

While the whole group was taking turns in engaging [Y/N] in various activities, it also served the purpose to shield her from the other guests - most who were still whispering yet not exactly hostile. They were mostly watching, trying to piece together what it might mean that a human was amongst them on one of the most important days of the year.   
There had been rumors about her. That the vampires were secretly feasting in humans without their consent. That she was a slave to them.   
Yet, from the way she behaved over the course of the night, none of them seemed to be true, one way or the other.   
  
Shiro went in and out of some meetings, trusting his friends with her, but his mind always somewhere else. When the last meeting had finally terminated, he walked back into the ballroom he sensed the still tense atmosphere. It wasn’t that bad anymore, and she was smiling broadly as Hunk whirled her across the dancefloor, his strength making her move across the entire floor, Shiro was able to relax a little.   
He then turned and found Keith approaching him, handing him a glass of pomegranate-juice.

“She's actually a descendent herself, isn't she?”, his ears twitched a bit.

Shiro hummed, “Five generations back. But that is not why I've chosen her.”

The two friends stood there for a while in silence, watching the younger ones as they took turn dancing to different songs, not paying any attention to the weird stares the human caused.

“You know that she will grow old and die if you do not turn her...” Keith's voice was barely audible. “And I don't like that thought.”

The vampire raised an eyebrow at the last remark, “Why?”

“She smells like... I don't know. Home?” the werecat closed his eyes, “Promising. And she makes you happy. Isn't that enough?”

“And she promised you to pet you, am I right?” unhidden amusement.

“... Maybe.”   
  
“Keith, she is your best friend. You can say that you want her to stay because of it. And you know as much as I do, that we still have some time until we have to think about this…”

Keith hummed in agreement, just as the girl approached them, curtsied and asked if Keith would dance with her as well. The latter happily agreed, basically dragging her towards the dance floor, throwing her around in-time with the music. This had little to do with coordinated dancing, but Keith’s broad grin and her unhidden joy made up for that.

Allura and Coran still watched from their balcony, a relieved smile on their faces. It’s been hours since she appeared and still nothing bad had happened, one way or the other. Maybe this would be the starting point for some monsters to changer their attitudes towards humans. Maybe this human would be the hope the monsters had lost so long ago. Maybe she would be able to narrow the gap between both worlds.  
Or could she?

  
  
  


As the ball went on, more and more monsters approached the girl who always seemed to smile and make conversation effortlessly. To most, it was baffling that she was her own person and not a mere puppet of her master. She even moved on her own while he was somewhere else entirely. Yet, neither of the group even tried to explain this as it would raise more questions than it could answer. Someone was always around her, to protect her in case anyone would get funny ideas.

Shiro made polite conversation just as was expected from him as the head of the House of Vlad while [Y/N] and the other navigated the ball on their own. They’ve met shortly before midnight as the announcement was made that Pandora's box would soon open. The guests were asked to proceed to the Room of Truth, which was just down the corridor. With a bright smile, Shiro took her hand, placed the most gentle kiss on it and off they were.   
The whole crowd eagerly awaited for the big doors to open, to be the first ones to lay eyes on the mysterious box.

Shiro, Keith, Lance and Hunk had a hard time to prevent the girl from being squished between all the monsters. Pidge on the other hand was floating just above them, giving updates in real time of what was and what wasn't happening at the front. Who was wearing funny hats and who seemed to have gotten into an argument. It helped to ease the tension and pass the time.

At exactly the first strike of midnight the doors opened, a cheer going through the crowd only to be replaced by a ripple of disbelief and anger, slowly making its way through the guests.  
Faces started to turn, as if searching for someone. The whispers grew louder in volume, more and more piercing as it worked its way through the crowd.

Pidge whispered something, no one was able to grasp, before she disappeared and they heard the sentence that made everyone's blood run cold, “The box is gone! Pandora's box had been stolen!”

  
  
  


“But you have no proof!” Keith called out, baring his teeth. “You can't just lock her up!”

“As much as I wish to agree with you, I cannot brush aside the fact that this happened with a human present”, the witch replied, pain on her beautiful face. “Shiro, I will not touch her. I promise. No harm will befall her. We just have to find the box before sunrise...”

The vampire did not reply as he turned around and left the room, leaving the girl standing there, her fists clenched, her jaw set. Everyone present could see that she wanted to run after him, and was equally amazed that she did not. Her lips moved as she whispered something no one was able to hear.   
She just seemed to understand what was on the line, despite this not being her world - it had nothing to do with herself or the realm of light. Glances were exchanged, whispers shared.   
Could she really be the culprit if she accepted her fate without a fight?

“Mrs. Allura, may I speak?” the girl asked with a bow, patiently waiting for an affirmative answer before she continued. “I could tell you and everyone present what I did, where I was and who I was with the whole night. And I know that, in my memory, I've never been even close to this room, let alone entered it. Still, just as well I understand the reasons behind the accusation and I will do everything in my power to calm the storm and to help you in the search for the box. I only have a favour to ask.”

This last sentence made the witch tilt her head, asking the girl to continue.

Yet, just as she opened her mouth to speak, a deep voice interrupted her, “Who do you think you are, human? Did no one ever teach you any manners?!”

Heads turned to face Zarkon who made his way through the gathered crowd up to Allura and the girl. Keith stepped in between her and the shapeshifter, as if to protect her from the towering grin. In the corner of his eye he could see Shiro slowly making his way back to them, trying to be unnoticed by the crowd. And again, they could feel this same uneasy feeling from before, when Zarkon had approached them for the first time.   
Keith snarled, his nose picking up a somewhat familiar scent. He was almost certain that he had already smelled something as dark and evil not too long ago. A quick flick of his tail told [Y/N] that he was onto something. But just where could this track lead?   
There was no time to think about the sheer possibility when the shapeshifter made a step forward, his aura almost engulfing them.

“Answer when you are asked!” the monster yelled, making the girl look up at him, a challenging look on her face and yet she did not reply which caused him to take another step towards her only to bump into Shiro.   
  
Seemingly out of nowhere he had appeared right next to Keith, shielding the human from whatever Zarkon had in mind. The latter seemed more and more aggravated by the girl’s behaviour. She was simply not behaving the way she was supposed to. Neither did she pose a threat to them, nor was she scared.   
This wasn’t sitting right with him.   
  
“Step aside. Someone has to take care of this human. Teach her some manners. Something you certainly are not able to do!” his voice was a deep growl, his eyes piercing the vampire.

“That is enough!” Allura called out, frustration leaking through. “Step away from each other at once! We are monsters not barbarians! And we shall act as such!”

They did as they were told, even though the shapeshifter seemed to be very reluctant to follow anyone’s orders. That was when Shiro noticed a cut appearing on Zarkon's cheek which definitely hadn't been there when they first spoke. He knew that shapeshifters could, just as the name implied, change their appearance to their every wish, making them the most common monster in bigger cities. They could easily pass as humans.  
Humans.  
_ Vampire-hunters. _

From the look on the girl’s face she must've come to the same conclusion, her eyes tearing up as defeat worked its way up her body. Even is they knew, how should they prove it? Keith, who had already caught on, took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly, indicating that she was not alone in this.  
There had to be a way. But first...

“We only have a few hours to find Pandora's box and listen to the prophecy before sunrise. Maybe we should leave personal quarrels aside for now. I do not want to think what would happen if the legends were true”, Coran's calm voice pulled everyone back into the present. “I would therefore suggest that the human stays with Allura and me while we organize search-parties to look over the whole castle and the gardens. There might be a clue to be found.”

The crowd murmured, still uncertain of what the right course of action might be. This human had behaved like a monster all evening, and even agreed on the procedure which put her in the worst possible position. Even when she had been yelled at, accused and threatened, she stood her ground.   
Could she really have deceived all of them?

“I only want to ask all of you one question”, she said, her voice shaking. “What would I gain from stealing Pandora's box and cause the monster-world to crumble?”   
  
A justified question. If she really wanted to steal the box and cause a great deal of chaos, she would’ve already left since there was no way that this crime would go unnoticed. What was more, she seemed to be somewhat affiliated with the most powerful vampire there was. There was no logical reason for her to steal the box if she so desired to destroy the current order.

Zarkon's laughter roared through the room, echoing, amplifying, “You already gave the answer! To bring the monsters down and to let the human race be the sole ruler of this planet!”

“How would you know?” her calm behaviour caused the shapeshifter to change the colour of his skin multiple times - this human was simply not shutting up!

“Because all humans are the same!”

“I've said enough!” Allura called out again, even more powerful this time, but Zarkon was on a roll.

“Don't you think you know anything! Maybe you grew up with only so little as to pluck a flower but you are just like all of them filthy humans. Just a liar amongst many. Just because you've saved a vampire once doesn't make you any less evil than the others!”

Before he could even realise his error, the crowd had already picked up on this, the whispers growing in volume. What did he just say? Did they misheard?   
No one had ever heard about a human saving a monster, let alone a vampire! If this proved to be true...

“Mr. Zarkon, how do you know that she indeed saved a vampire?” it was Shiro who caused him to freeze over. “I've never told anyone about it.”

“You did... Back at the ballroom.”, Zarkon tried lamley, finally realizing his fatal error.

“But that was only after you've left”, Keith added, barely able to hide his grin.   
  
[Y/N] right next to him - still holding Keith’s hand - was squeezing it hard. This was too good to be true. There was no need for them to come up with evidence or a story no one would believe anyway because Zarkon himself blurted out the truth in an attempt to intimidate her.

The shapeshifter was not able to reply anything. Instead, he absent-mindedly touched his cheek where the cut had become even more visible, for everyone to see. Even to his kind silver had a long-lasting effect. While it was not deadly it took a very long time to heal, if it ever did.

“Honestly speaking, I think I missed some details, but this is indeed an interesting case... Mr. Shirogane, would you be so kind to fill us in?” Coran asked, a weary look on his face.

And so Shiro told everyone present the same story he had shared with his friends only a few hours before, turning the world upside-down by the simple fact that humans may be just as diverse as monsters. And that he was indeed saved by one in a situation he would’ve not been able to come out alive otherwise.   
Once he had finished, silence fell. Glances were exchanged. Hearts swelled.

The witch was the first to speak, “Mrs. [L/N], is this true?”

Taking Shiro's hand in hers, she nodded, “It is just as he had just told you. I still know that this does not free me from the claim that I may have taken the box, but I sure hope it is sufficient for me to join the search parties.”   
  
It was clear to everyone present that the recent events as well as the murder of the girl’s parents were somewhat linked and that Zarkon played a significant role in it. But as time was passing way too quickly, this had to wait until the box had been found. For there would be no need for a verdict if the whole world was about to be destroyed anyway.

Coran and Allura exchanged a glance before they both approved that finding the box - and letting [Y/N] come with them - was the most important task at hand. As soon as the sorcerer spoke the words, the crowd began to cheer once more. Only Zarkon stood there, hatred in his glare.

 

 

  
The girl accompanied the small group out into the garden, barely leaving Shiro's side. More than once did their hands touch, held onto each other for a moment before they went separate ways to search a broad field. There may have been a stolen kiss or two as well as some cuddling with Keith when the pressure became to great. After all, they would have each other, no matter what happened.   
But still, time was racing against them and she could feel the pressure on her, growing with every passing minute. Despite the looming end of the monster-world, the whole issue with Zarkon being the vampire-hunter was also weighing her down.   
  
Even if everyone present would be able to piece the puzzle together and he had talked himself in a corner, there was still no proof, no evidence. Surely he would be able to find a way to talk himself out of it. His house was pretty influential as well, so it was very likely that at least some monsters would stand by him.   
  
“But what if this is not necessary in the first place?” Lance asked as they decided to take a short break after searching for an hour. “I mean, everyone in there heard what we heard and even I was able to make the connections. Certainly, Coran and Allura caught up as well.”   
  
“This is one of the very rare occasions I have to agree with you, Lance”, Keith replied. “There really is nothing we could do at this point besides trying to find the box.”   
  
A short silence followed, before Hunk looked around and said, “Has anyone seen Pidge recently?”   
  
Everyone shook their heads, looking at each other. They agreed that the last time they saw her was back in the corridor, before the whole ruckus had started.   
  
“I bet she is okay. She always had her quirks, and being a ghost comes with some traits as well”, Shiro said warmly as he wrapped his arms around the girl and pulled her in close and ruffled her hair with his nose.   
  
They just had to find that box before sunrise or everything [Y/N] and Shiro had been fighting for would have been in vain.   
There would simply be no world for anyone to return to, the gap between the worlds only widening.   
So the whole group went ahead and as quickly as they could, the scanned a good area of the garden before they met again, tired and their muscles sore from climbing and crawling. Even Hunk, the strongest of them, looked worn.

“Man, we've been searching for hours now! There’s just nothing but dirt and more dirt! Why would the thief hide it in the gardens anyway?!” Lance complained, slumping against a tree.   
  
Frustration on everybody’s faces, as they scanned the sky and horizon. There was only so little time…   
Neither of them really believed in the old legends foreshadowing the end of the world the year the prophecy would not be heard. But with the same token, no one would ever want to risk it to be true.

“Yeah... If I were the thief I would hide it in plain sight”, Hunk added with a yawn.

This made everyone pause.

“Did anyone check the pedestal?” Keith asked, his ears twitching.   
  
A second passed.   
And another.

There was no need for either an answer or anyone stating the course of action anymore. Everyone jumped to their feet and started to run back towards the castle, hoping to confirm this idea. It was as stupid as it was genius.   


Just, they never got this far.

A few metres away from the staircase leading up to the castle, they suddenly crashed into an invisible wall, falling back a few feet.

“Why are the defensive-systems running?” Shiro breathed as he touched the barrier.   
  
His voice remained calm but his eyes grew more and more weary as the realization set in that there was no way to get back into the castle at this point. He felt [Y/N] step up next to him, leaning her head against his shoulder, a defeated sigh escaping her.

“Because I have to keep my enemies out”, a dark voice made the whole group turn around again.

Zarkon was leaning against a tree as if he had been waiting for them to show up. Again he wore this disgusting smile, the feeling of superiority dripping from every word he spoke. He had planned it. All of it. Everything that could eventually go wrong, he had thought about it.   
What was left for them to do?

“What’s the big picture here... ?” Hunk mumbled. “What is this whole situation with the box good for…?”   
  
“What are you planning to do? Kill us?” Lance called out, rephrasing his friend’s thoughts.

“That would be too simple. Too easy. Too little for me and my ambitions. Try again.”

The girl didn't miss a beat, “War. An all-out war between monsters and humans. Because you want the monsters to rule again.”

This caused the shapeshifter to gape at her before he pushed himself away from the trunk and started to walk towards the group, applauding her, “Not bad, human. Are you sure you do not want to become one of my servants? I could use a clever mind such as yours. I will treat you good. You could be my special little pet.”

At this Shiro snarled at him, baring his fangs. There was no need to be polite now. It was clear as day that Zarkon would never be able to see humans as equals, much less understand anything about them. To him they were nothing but toys, maybe food. Nothing more.   
With a quick glance at her, Shiro realized that there was so little he was able to do to protect her.

“Too bad neither of you will be alive to see this new world. I will see to it, don’t you worry. You can still change sides, girl. Leave the vampire and come to me. Maybe you will even like the new world!” Zarkon opened his arms wide a maniac expression distorting his facial features.   
  
This made [Y/N] scoff, “As if I would ever go with you… Not for anything.”   
  
The shapeshifter didn’t seem to mind her reply, maybe wasn’t planning on it anyway, “Be as it may, because you got it right at the first try I will answer you one last question. I am not a bad monster after all.”

Closing her eyes briefly, the girl walked up to him, seemingly not afraid. Once she was only a few feet away, she pointed at Shiro and asked, “Why did you try to capture even kill him? Wouldn't the death of the head of the House of Vlad cause a whole range of different problems? Maybe even working against your plan?”

He roared, obviously amused by her wit, “I really like you! No, this had nothing to do with my overall plan. That was something personal. And I specifically thought of a disguise so it won’t compromise my plans in any way.”

“You wanted to remove me and set it up as if it were a human who had violated the treaty, causing a purge of my house. That would've made you head of the strongest kind”, Shiro's voice was even yet full of rage.

“Yes. The vampires have always been the strongest, leaving everyone else in the shadows. If it weren't for this human, I would've succeeded. On the other hand...” with a quick movement, Zarkon wrapped his arms around the girl's upper body, trapping her. “To have her here made it so easy to find a culprit for tonight. So I should thank you...”   
  
Keith and Shiro both bared their fangs, ready to strike. For Shiro it was hard to concentrate, his blood boiling, rushing through his veins. It was one thing to insult him and his house, but to treat his partner - his better half - like that was just too much to bare. Keith on the other hand would never let anyone hurt one of his pack.   
Ever.   
But still, the way Zarkon held her, like a shield, while his claws dug deeper into her skin, undoubtedly leaving marks, there was nothing they could do without hurting her in the process.   


A whimper escaped [Y/N] as the tongue of the shapeshifter licked her cheeks, making Shiro growl lowly, “Let. Her. Go.”   
  
At first, the shapeshifter did not react but repeated his “treatment” on the other side of her face, while she tried to wiggle out of his grasp. He seemed to enjoy playing with her as if she was his personal plaything. With a loud barking laughter, Zarkon pushed her away again, making her crash into the ground, Lance and Keith by her side instantly, trying to get her as far away from him as possible.   
  
“What does it matter to you anyway? The sun will rise in just a few minutes. The box is in there. And you are out here. The game is over. And you have lost. Enjoy your last moments”, his grin would haunt Shiro for days to come.   
  
“You never understood anything, have you?” the vampire asked lowly. “About what really mattered?”

Zarkon only shot him a glance and just like that, he was gone.

  
  
  


Only it was not over.

While Zarkon had left the small group, Pidge was quickly floating through the castle, trying to find Allura and Coran, to lead them back to the Room of Truth in order to open the box and to prevent a war. Or whatever other catastrophe would befall them should they miss the prophecy.  
She could basically hear the seconds slip through her fingers just as she went through the walls. Thankfully, the witch and the sorcerer where not too far away from the room, debating about the potential outcome of this night. Without missing a beat, Pidge appeared in front of them, making Allura jump and Coran scold her for appearing so suddenly and without warning.   
  
She interrupted the latter by putting out that she knew where the box was. On top of that, she had been following Zarkon around and overheard his discussion with her friends in the garden. She had been trapped inside the barrier - not even being a ghost enabled her to pass through the electromagnetic field - so she hadn’t been able to pick up every last syllable, but it was more than enough to paint the general picture and fill in the gaps.  
At first they did not believe her, but as more and more details poured out of her mouth the bleaker their expressions became.

“I know it is hard to believe, but please, follow me to the Room of Truth. I am almost certain that Pandora's box is still there”, her hollow eyes were not able to stay still as was her general form.

The both of them exchanged a look before they decided to follow the ghost back. There was hardly anything else they could do as the first rays of sunshine were already creeping over the horizon. The moment they arrived in the room the three searched each and every corner. Allura was the first to touch the pedestal, immediately hitting another invisible barrier.   
While relief flooded her, she was also ashamed that no one had thought about this trick before. It was the oldest one ever. And neither she nor Coran caught up on it.   
A quick glance over to her companion confirmed what they both had hoped for when they first lay eyes on the small group of young adults, grouping around a human unlike any other. Them and the whole world had been saved by these children.

“You were right... We were deceived...” the witch mumbled as she cast a spell to make the box reappear. “We did the human wrong… Not only that but we’ve also put her in grave danger.”

Putting a hand on her shoulder, Coran replied, “We can think about how to repay her later. There is a lot to talk about. But as of right now I think it is time to open the box. Otherwise the girl has no world to return to.”

With a small smile Allura gave a nod before she opened the box and listened to the gentle voice from within.

__ It makes no difference abroad,  
__ The seasons fit the same,  
__ The mornings blossom into noons,  
__ And split their pods of flame.   
  
  
  
The small group had found shelter within the bushes and the beginning forest, the girl cuddled up in Shiro’s arms with Keith holding her hands, all of them trying to calm her. She had been shaking since Zarkon release her, her eyes never leaving the horizon.   
The sun was almost visible when the first tears started to fall from her eyes. Nothing her friends said was able to calm her even the slightest bit.   
She only apologized over and over again.   
  
“Nothing of this would’ve happened if I wouldn’t have interfered…” she swallowed.   
  
This didn’t sit right with the vampire who gently lifted her chin so she was forced to look at him, “If you hadn’t saved me, there would’ve been another war between humans and monsters as well as no more vampires to protect you. But most importantly, I would’ve never met you. That is something I wouldn’t change for anything in the world.”  
  
He then went ahead and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, just the moment Lance and Keith jumped to their feet, their ears pointing towards the castle.   
  
“Someone is coming”, Keith mumbled and walked towards the building, his friends quick to follow.   
  
As if that was the cue the sky was overcast with clouds, drowning out the first rays of sunshine, making it easier for Shiro to be out. His hands found [Y/N]’s, an unspoken promise to face the future together, no matter what may lay ahead.  
At first, neither of them saw anything or anyone in plain sight. But they knew better than to mistrust Keith and his hearing. Still, nothing moved for a few moments.   
The girl looked up at Shiro, who seemed to concentrate in order to detect the same sounds that lead them to leave their hiding-place.   
  
“There is no need to be so cautious”, a gentle voice said before the witch appeared out of thin air right in front of them, Coran and Pidge next to her.   
  
“You made the clouds?” [Y/N] asked, before she dropped her gaze, “I apologize for my bluntness, M’Lady…”   
  
This only made Allura chuckle, “No need to be so shy. You asked a perfectly valid question. And to answer it: yes. I cast the clouds so there would be no harm for any of you.”   
  
As she mentioned the word “harm”, her smile fell at once as her gaze lingered on Shiro, who voiced a silent thank you but was taken aback by the sullen expression he was met with.   
  
“I promised you that I would keep your companion safe. That should’ve been the case even as she went with you to search the gardens. But from what Mrs. Holt has told me, the shapeshifter had her in a tight grip. There was imminent danger. I failed to keep my promise. For this I apologize”, the witch bowed her head at this, making everyone else look around in confusion.   
  
“No one could’ve guessed his plans”, the girl finally said, walking over to Allura. “I am alright, still in one piece. Please don’t blame yourself.”   
  
This made Allura look at the tender face of the human girl, showing no signs of anger, sadness or the need for revenge. Not able to hide her amazement, the witch looked over to Shiro, whose expression was full of love for his entourage. This was when Allura - and Coran next to her - finally realized what was going on.  
There had been rumours about the human living with the head of the House of Vlad, speculating whether he had forced her to become his slave or if she did it voluntarily to serve him as feast every now and then.   
But hardly anyone would’ve ever guessed that the reason was a simple one - maybe as old as time.  
They’ve just fallen in love.   
  
  
  
It didn’t take long for Pidge, Coran and Allura to fill the others in on what had happened inside, and what this year’s prophecy had been.   
  
“As cryptic as always…” Lance said, Hunk nodding besides him.   
  
“Honestly… I think I know where we are headed and what we are supposed to do”, the witch smiled as she looked over to [Y/N] who sat in the grass, a few feet away, Keith scolding her for whatever reason, yet both were smiling. Turning so she faced Shiro, Allura continued, “You found her?”   
  
At first, the vampire wasn’t too sure what she was talking about, but the unhidden glimmer of hope in the witch’s eyes finally made it clear what she meant: a future. Not only for his own bloodline, but for the entire world. Hope. To reunite what now lay divided.   
  
Laughing lowly, he replied, “Well… Initially she’d found me. But yes. I found my fate within her. My once and always.”   
  
Watching as the girl stood up and walked over to place the most gentle kiss on Shiro’s cheek before she started to run up the stairs back to the castle, urging everyone to follow, Allura and Coran exchanged another look.   
  
A girl in love with a boy.   
A boy in love with a girl.   
So simple.   
And that would be enough.

 

**Author's Note:**

> My dearest reader,  
> Those of you who already read this story may wonder how it reappeared. I decided to edit and expand it a little as well as change the ending a bit so it would fit better with the sequel "Aurora".  
> While the main storyline is the same, I wanted to even out some rough edges and give more insight into some areas, while cutting out others.
> 
> To those who only stumbled over this drabble of mine: Welcome! I hope you enjoyed the story I so desperately wanted to write since I saw that Monster and Mana episode. Vampire Shiro and Werecat Keith are just too adorable to resist, don't you think?!
> 
> The poem I used for the prophecy is by Emily Dickinson "XX. Two Worlds". And when Shiro says that he had found his "once and always" I referred to a poem by ATTICS over on Instagram. I just adore his poems so much...
> 
> As always, I'd love to hear from you, be it here or over on my social media.  
> Stay rad <3


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